Gobi spans a large area of China,surpassing the combined expanse of mobile dunes and semi-fixed dunes.Its presence significantly influences the movement of sand and dust.However,the complex origins and diverse materia...Gobi spans a large area of China,surpassing the combined expanse of mobile dunes and semi-fixed dunes.Its presence significantly influences the movement of sand and dust.However,the complex origins and diverse materials constituting the Gobi result in notable differences in saltation processes across various Gobi surfaces.It is challenging to describe these processes according to a uniform morphology.Therefore,it becomes imperative to articulate surface characteristics through parameters such as the three-dimensional(3D)size and shape of gravel.Collecting morphology information for Gobi gravels is essential for studying its genesis and sand saltation.To enhance the efficiency and information yield of gravel parameter measurements,this study conducted field experiments in the Gobi region across Dunhuang City,Guazhou County,and Yumen City(administrated by Jiuquan City),Gansu Province,China in March 2023.A research framework and methodology for measuring 3D parameters of gravel using point cloud were developed,alongside improved calculation formulas for 3D parameters including gravel grain size,volume,flatness,roundness,sphericity,and equivalent grain size.Leveraging multi-view geometry technology for 3D reconstruction allowed for establishing an optimal data acquisition scheme characterized by high point cloud reconstruction efficiency and clear quality.Additionally,the proposed methodology incorporated point cloud clustering,segmentation,and filtering techniques to isolate individual gravel point clouds.Advanced point cloud algorithms,including the Oriented Bounding Box(OBB),point cloud slicing method,and point cloud triangulation,were then deployed to calculate the 3D parameters of individual gravels.These systematic processes allow precise and detailed characterization of individual gravels.For gravel grain size and volume,the correlation coefficients between point cloud and manual measurements all exceeded 0.9000,confirming the feasibility of the proposed methodology for measuring 3D parameters of individual gravels.The proposed workflow yields accurate calculations of relevant parameters for Gobi gravels,providing essential data support for subsequent studies on Gobi environments.展开更多
Understanding the pore water pressure distribution in unsaturated soil is crucial in predicting shallow landslides triggered by rainfall,mainly when dealing with different temporal patterns of rainfall intensity.Howev...Understanding the pore water pressure distribution in unsaturated soil is crucial in predicting shallow landslides triggered by rainfall,mainly when dealing with different temporal patterns of rainfall intensity.However,the hydrological response of vegetated slopes,especially three-dimensional(3D)slopes covered with shrubs,under different rainfall patterns remains unclear and requires further investigation.To address this issue,this study adopts a novel 3D numerical model for simulating hydraulic interactions between the root system of the shrub and the surrounding soil.Three series of numerical parametric studies are conducted to investigate the influences of slope inclination,rainfall pattern and rainfall duration.Four rainfall patterns(advanced,bimodal,delayed,and uniform)and two rainfall durations(4-h intense and 168-h mild rainfall)are considered to study the hydrological response of the slope.The computed results show that 17%higher transpiration-induced suction is found for a steeper slope,which remains even after a short,intense rainfall with a 100-year return period.The extreme rainfalls with advanced(PA),bimodal(PB)and uniform(PU)rainfall patterns need to be considered for the short rainfall duration(4 h),while the delayed(PD)and uniform(PU)rainfall patterns are highly recommended for long rainfall durations(168 h).The presence of plants can improve slope stability markedly under extreme rainfall with a short duration(4 h).For the long duration(168 h),the benefit of the plant in preserving pore-water pressure(PWP)and slope stability may not be sufficient.展开更多
The 2D limit equilibrium method is widely used for slope stability analysis.However,with the advancement of dump engineering,composite slopes often exhibit significant 3D mechanical effects.Consequently,it is of signi...The 2D limit equilibrium method is widely used for slope stability analysis.However,with the advancement of dump engineering,composite slopes often exhibit significant 3D mechanical effects.Consequently,it is of significant importance to develop an effective 3D stability calculation method for composite slopes to enhance the design and stability control of open-pit slope engineering.Using the composite slope formed by the mining stope and inner dump in Baiyinhua No.1 and No.2 open-pit coal mine as a case study,this research investigates the failure mode of composite slopes and establishes spatial shape equations for the sliding mass.By integrating the shear resistance and sliding force of each row of microstrip columns onto the bottom surface of the strip corresponding to the main sliding surface,a novel 2D equivalent physical and mechanical parameters analysis method for the strips on the main sliding surface of 3D sliding masses is proposed.Subsequently,a comprehensive 3D stability calculation method for composite slopes is developed,and the quantitative relationship between the coordinated development distance and its 3D stability coefficients is examined.The analysis reveals that the failure mode of the composite slope is characterized by cutting-bedding sliding,with the arc serving as the side interface and the weak layer as the bottom interface,while the destabilization mechanism primarily involves shear failure.The spatial form equation of the sliding mass comprises an ellipsoid and weak plane equation.The analysis revealed that when the coordinated development distance is 1500 m,the error rate between the 3D stability calculation result and the 2D stability calculation result of the composite slope is less than 8%,thereby verifying the proposed analytical method of equivalent physical and mechanical parameters and the 3D stability calculation method for composite slopes.Furthermore,the3D stability coefficient of the composite slope exhibits an exponential correlation with the coordinated development distance,with the coefficient gradually decreasing as the coordinated development distance increases.These findings provide a theoretical guideline for designing similar slope shape parameters and conducting stability analysis.展开更多
Background: As the population age structure gradually ages, more and more elderly people were found to have pulmonary nodules during physical examinations. Most elderly people had underlying diseases such as heart, lu...Background: As the population age structure gradually ages, more and more elderly people were found to have pulmonary nodules during physical examinations. Most elderly people had underlying diseases such as heart, lung, brain and blood vessels and cannot tolerate surgery. Computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous core needle biopsy (CNB) was the first choice for pathological diagnosis and subsequent targeted drugs, immune drugs or ablation treatment. CT-guided percutaneous CNB requires clinicians with rich CNB experience to ensure high CNB accuracy, but it was easy to cause complications such as pneumothorax and hemorrhage. Three-dimensional (3D) printing coplanar template (PCT) combined with CT-guided percutaneous pulmonary CNB biopsy has been used in clinical practice, but there was no prospective, randomized controlled study. Methods: Elderly patients with lung nodules admitted to the Department of Oncology of our hospital from January 2019 to January 2023 were selected. A total of 225 elderly patients were screened, and 30 patients were included after screening. They were randomly divided into experimental group (Group A: 30 cases) and control group (Group B: 30 cases). Group A was given 3D-PCT combined with CT-guided percutaneous pulmonary CNB biopsy, Group B underwent CT-guided percutaneous pulmonary CNB. The primary outcome measure of this study was the accuracy of diagnostic CNB, and the secondary outcome measures were CNB time, number of CNB needles, number of pathological tissues and complications. Results: The diagnostic accuracy of group A and group B was 96.67% and 76.67%, respectively (P = 0.026). There were statistical differences between group A and group B in average CNB time (P = 0.001), number of CNB (1 vs more than 1, P = 0.029), and pathological tissue obtained by CNB (3 vs 1, P = 0.040). There was no statistical difference in the incidence of pneumothorax and hemorrhage between the two groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions: 3D-PCT combined with CT-guided percutaneous CNB can improve the puncture accuracy of elderly patients, shorten the puncture time, reduce the number of punctures, and increase the amount of puncture pathological tissue, without increasing pneumothorax and hemorrhage complications. We look forward to verifying this in a phase III randomized controlled clinical study. .展开更多
Weak structural plane deformation is responsible for the non-uniform large deformation disasters in layered rock tunnels,resulting in steel arch distortion and secondary lining cracking.In this study,a servo biaxial t...Weak structural plane deformation is responsible for the non-uniform large deformation disasters in layered rock tunnels,resulting in steel arch distortion and secondary lining cracking.In this study,a servo biaxial testing system was employed to conduct physical modeling tests on layered rock tunnels with bedding planes of varying dip angles.The influence of structural anisotropy in layered rocks on the micro displacement and strain field of surrounding rocks was analyzed using digital image correlation(DIC)technology.The spatiotemporal evolution of non-uniform deformation of surrounding rocks was investigated,and numerical simulation was performed to verify the experimental results.The findings indicate that the displacement and strain field of the surrounding layered rocks are all maximized at the horizontal bedding planes and decrease linearly with the increasing dip angle.The failure of the layered surrounding rock with different dip angles occurs and extends along the bedding planes.Compressive strain failure occurs after excavation under high horizontal stress.This study provides significant theoretical support for the analysis,prediction,and control of non-uniform deformation of tunnel surrounding rocks.展开更多
To achieve full-surface strain measurement of variable curvature objects,a 360°3D digital image correlation(DIC)system is proposed.The measurement system consists of four double-camera systems,which capture the o...To achieve full-surface strain measurement of variable curvature objects,a 360°3D digital image correlation(DIC)system is proposed.The measurement system consists of four double-camera systems,which capture the object’s entire surface from multiple angles,enabling comprehensive full-surface measurement.To increase the stitching quality,a hierarchical coordinate matching method is proposed.Initially,a 3D rigid body calibration auxiliary block is employed to track motion trajectory,which enables preliminary matching of four 3D-DIC sub-systems.Subsequently,secondary precise matching is performed based on feature points on the test specimen’s surface.Through the hierarchical coordinate matching method,the local 3D coordinate systems of each double-camera system are unified into a global coordinate system,achieving 3D surface reconstruction of the variable curvature cylindrical shell,and error analysis is conducted on the results.Furthermore,axial compression buckling experiment is conducted to measure the displacement and strain fields on the cylindrical shell’s surface.The experimental results are compared with the finite element analysis,validating the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed multi-camera 3D-DIC measuring system.展开更多
Three-dimensional(3D) synthetic aperture radar(SAR)extends the conventional 2D images into 3D features by several acquisitions in different aspects. Compared with 3D techniques via multiple observations in elevation, ...Three-dimensional(3D) synthetic aperture radar(SAR)extends the conventional 2D images into 3D features by several acquisitions in different aspects. Compared with 3D techniques via multiple observations in elevation, e.g. SAR interferometry(InSAR) and SAR tomography(TomoSAR), holographic SAR can retrieve 3D structure by observations in azimuth. This paper focuses on designing a novel type of orbit to achieve SAR regional all-azimuth observation(AAO) for embedded targets detection and holographic 3D reconstruction. The ground tracks of the AAO orbit separate the earth surface into grids. Target in these grids can be accessed with an azimuth angle span of360°, which is similar to the flight path of airborne circular SAR(CSAR). Inspired from the successive coverage orbits of optical sensors, several optimizations are made in the proposed method to ensure favorable grazing angles, the performance of 3D reconstruction, and long-term supervision for SAR sensors. Simulation experiments show the regional AAO can be completed within five hours. In addition, a second AAO of the same area can be duplicated in two days. Finally, an airborne SAR data process result is presented to illustrate the significance of AAO in 3D reconstruction.展开更多
The shear failure of intact rock under thermo-mechanical(TM)coupling conditions is common,such as in enhanced geothermal mining and deep mine construction.Under the effect of a continuous engineering disturbance,shear...The shear failure of intact rock under thermo-mechanical(TM)coupling conditions is common,such as in enhanced geothermal mining and deep mine construction.Under the effect of a continuous engineering disturbance,shear-formed fractures are prone to secondary instability,posing a severe threat to deep engineering.Although numerous studies regarding three-dimensional(3D)morphologies of fracture surfaces have been conducted,the understanding of shear-formed fractures under TM coupling conditions is limited.In this study,direct shear tests of intact granite under various TM coupling conditions were conducted,followed by 3D laser scanning tests of shear-formed fractures.Test results demonstrated that the peak shear strength of intact granite is positively correlated with the normal stress,whereas it is negatively correlated with the temperature.The internal friction angle and cohesion of intact granite significantly decrease with an increase in the temperature.The anisotropy,roughness value,and height of the asperities on the fracture surfaces are reduced as the normal stress increases,whereas their variation trends are the opposite as the temperature increases.The macroscopic failure mode of intact granite under TM coupling conditions is dominated by mixed tensileeshear and shear failures.As the normal stress increases,intragranular fractures are developed ranging from a local to a global distribution,and the macroscopic failure mode of intact granite changes from mixed tensileeshear to shear failure.Finally,3D morphological characteristics of the asperities on the shear-formed fracture surfaces were analyzed,and a quadrangular pyramid conceptual model representing these asperities was proposed and sufficiently verified.展开更多
This study is concerned with the three-dimensional(3D)stagnation-point for the mixed convection flow past a vertical surface considering the first-order and secondorder velocity slips.To the authors’knowledge,this is...This study is concerned with the three-dimensional(3D)stagnation-point for the mixed convection flow past a vertical surface considering the first-order and secondorder velocity slips.To the authors’knowledge,this is the first study presenting this very interesting analysis.Nonlinear partial differential equations for the flow problem are transformed into nonlinear ordinary differential equations(ODEs)by using appropriate similarity transformation.These ODEs with the corresponding boundary conditions are numerically solved by utilizing the bvp4c solver in MATLAB programming language.The effects of the governing parameters on the non-dimensional velocity profiles,temperature profiles,skin friction coefficients,and the local Nusselt number are presented in detail through a series of graphs and tables.Interestingly,it is reported that the reduced skin friction coefficient decreases for the assisting flow situation and increases for the opposing flow situation.The numerical computations of the present work are compared with those from other research available in specific situations,and an excellent consensus is observed.Another exciting feature for this work is the existence of dual solutions.An important remark is that the dual solutions exist for both assisting and opposing flows.A linear stability analysis is performed showing that one solution is stable and the other solution is not stable.We notice that the mixed convection and velocity slip parameters have strong effects on the flow characteristics.These effects are depicted in graphs and discussed in this paper.The obtained results show that the first-order and second-order slip parameters have a considerable effect on the flow,as well as on the heat transfer characteristics.展开更多
Fusion methods based on multi-scale transforms have become the mainstream of the pixel-level image fusion. However,most of these methods cannot fully exploit spatial domain information of source images, which lead to ...Fusion methods based on multi-scale transforms have become the mainstream of the pixel-level image fusion. However,most of these methods cannot fully exploit spatial domain information of source images, which lead to the degradation of image.This paper presents a fusion framework based on block-matching and 3D(BM3D) multi-scale transform. The algorithm first divides the image into different blocks and groups these 2D image blocks into 3D arrays by their similarity. Then it uses a 3D transform which consists of a 2D multi-scale and a 1D transform to transfer the arrays into transform coefficients, and then the obtained low-and high-coefficients are fused by different fusion rules. The final fused image is obtained from a series of fused 3D image block groups after the inverse transform by using an aggregation process. In the experimental part, we comparatively analyze some existing algorithms and the using of different transforms, e.g. non-subsampled Contourlet transform(NSCT), non-subsampled Shearlet transform(NSST), in the 3D transform step. Experimental results show that the proposed fusion framework can not only improve subjective visual effect, but also obtain better objective evaluation criteria than state-of-the-art methods.展开更多
The gravity inversion is to restore genetic density distribution of the underground target to be explored for explaining the internal structure and distribution of the Earth.In this paper,we propose a new 3D gravity i...The gravity inversion is to restore genetic density distribution of the underground target to be explored for explaining the internal structure and distribution of the Earth.In this paper,we propose a new 3D gravity inversion method based on 3D U-Net++.Compared with two-dimensional gravity inversion,three-dimensional(3D)gravity inversion can more precisely describe the density distribution of underground space.However,conventional 3D gravity inversion method input is two-dimensional,the input and output of the network proposed in our method are three-dimensional.In the training stage,we design a large number of diversifi ed simulation model-data pairs by using the random walk method to improve the generalization ability of the network.In the test phase,we verify the network performance by using the model-data pairs generated by the simulation.To further illustrate the eff ectiveness of the algorithm,we apply the method to the inversion of the San Nicolas mining area,and the inversion results are basically consistent with the borehole measurement results.Moreover,the results of the 3D U-Net++inversion and the 3D U-Net inversion are compared.The density models of the 3D U-Net++inversion have higher resolution,more concentrated inversion results,and a clearer boundary of the density model.展开更多
Adhesions between different cells and extracellular matrix have been studied extensively in vitro, but little is known about their functions in testicular tissue counterparts. Spermatogonia and their companion somatic...Adhesions between different cells and extracellular matrix have been studied extensively in vitro, but little is known about their functions in testicular tissue counterparts. Spermatogonia and their companion somatic cells maintain a close association throughout spermatogenesis and this association is necessary for normal spermatogenesis. In order to keep the relative integrity of the testicular tissues, and to detect the development in vitro, culture testicular tissues in a three- dimensional (3D) agarose matrix was examined. Testicular tissues isolated from 6.5 d postpartum (dpp) mouse were cultured on the top of the matrix for 26 d with a medium height up to 4/5 of the 3D agarose matrix. The results showed that in this 3D culture environment, each type of testicular cells kept the same structure, localization and function as in vivo and might be more biologically relevant to living organisms. After culture, germ cell marker VASA and meiosis markers DAZL and SCP3 showed typical positive analysed by immunofluorescence staining and RT-PCR. It demonstrated that this 3D culture system was able to maintain the number of germ cells and promote the meiosis initiation of male germ cells.展开更多
Upon the conservation of mass, momentum and energy, volume fraction and surface penetrative rate were employed to modify the conservative equations to simulate the effect of blockages on fluid flows and heat transfer....Upon the conservation of mass, momentum and energy, volume fraction and surface penetrative rate were employed to modify the conservative equations to simulate the effect of blockages on fluid flows and heat transfer. These equations were solved numerically with the finite differential method and the primitive variable approach. This method uses staggered grid and pressure correction schemes. A computer code FASTOR3D integrated the aforementioned algorithm. The preliminary results have been compared with conventional benchmark solutions. With auxiliary software DV, the numerical results were visualized in colorful images to demonstrate the variation of flow patterns and temperature profiles during the transient process. The results of the simulation code for the fluid flows and heat transfer in the sodium pool of a fast breeder reactor are acceptable.展开更多
This paper will discuss strategies for trinocular image rectification and matching for linear object tracking.It is well known that a pair of stereo images generates two epipolar images.Three overlapped images can yie...This paper will discuss strategies for trinocular image rectification and matching for linear object tracking.It is well known that a pair of stereo images generates two epipolar images.Three overlapped images can yield six epipolar images in situations where any two are required to be rectified for the purpose of image matching.In this case,the search for feature correspondences is computationally intensive and matching complexity increases.A special epipolar image rectification for three stereo images,which simplifies the image matching process,is therefore proposed.This method generates only three rectified images,with the result that the search for matching features becomes more straightforward.With the three rectified images,a particular line_segment_based correspondence strategy is suggested.The primary characteristics of the feature correspondence strategy include application of specific epipolar geometric constraints and reference to three_ray triangulation residuals in object space.展开更多
In 3D models retrieval, feature description and retrieval of non-rigid model face more complex problems due to the isometry transformation of itself. We introduce the hierarchical combination matching into the feature...In 3D models retrieval, feature description and retrieval of non-rigid model face more complex problems due to the isometry transformation of itself. We introduce the hierarchical combination matching into the feature comparison, and build a map between the divided regions of two models, and then achieve accurate feature matching based on patch-by-patch, which successfully introduces the spatial information into feature matching. Verified by experiment, the 3D model retrieval method proposed in this paper based on hierarchical combination matching can make sure more accurate feature matching, so as to enhance the precision of retrieval.展开更多
The mechanical characteristics of crystalline rocks are affected by the heterogeneity of the spatial distribution of minerals.In this paper,a novel three-dimensional(3D)grain-based model(GBM)based on particle flow cod...The mechanical characteristics of crystalline rocks are affected by the heterogeneity of the spatial distribution of minerals.In this paper,a novel three-dimensional(3D)grain-based model(GBM)based on particle flow code(PFC),i.e.PFC3D-GBM,is proposed.This model can accomplish the grouping of mineral grains at the 3D scale and then filling them.Then,the effect of the position distribution,geometric size,and volume composite of mineral grains on the cracking behaviour and macroscopic properties of granite are examined by conducting Brazilian splitting tests.The numerical results show that when an external load is applied to a sample,force chains will form around each contact,and the orientation distribution of the force chains is uniform,which is independent of the external load level.Furthermore,the number of high-strength force chains is proportional to the external load level,and the main orientation distribution is consistent with the external loading direction.The main orientation of the cracks is vertical to that of the high-strength force chains.The geometric size of the mineral grains controls the mechanical behaviours.As the average grain size increases,the number of transgranular contacts with higher bonding strength in the region connecting both loading points increases.The number of high-strength force chains increases,leading to an increase in the stress concentration value required for the macroscopic failure of the sample.Due to the highest bonding strength,the generation of transgranular cracks in quartz requires a higher concentrated stress value.With increasing volume composition of quartz,the number of transgranular cracks in quartz distributed in the region connecting both loading points increases,which requires many high-strength force chains.The load level rises,leading to an increase in the tensile strength of the numerical sample.展开更多
The dense and accurate measurement of 3D texture is helpful in evaluating the pavement function.To form dense mandatory constraints and improve matching accuracy,the traditional binocular reconstruction technology was...The dense and accurate measurement of 3D texture is helpful in evaluating the pavement function.To form dense mandatory constraints and improve matching accuracy,the traditional binocular reconstruction technology was improved threefold.First,a single moving laser line was introduced to carry out global scanning constraints on the target,which would well overcome the difficulty of installing and recognizing excessive laser lines.Second,four kinds of improved algorithms,namely,disparity replacement,superposition synthesis,subregion segmentation,and subregion segmentation centroid enhancement,were established based on different constraint mechanism.Last,the improved binocular reconstruction test device was developed to realize the dual functions of 3D texture measurement and precision self-evaluation.Results show that compared with traditional algorithms,the introduction of a single laser line scanning constraint is helpful in improving the measurement’s accuracy.Among various improved algorithms,the improvement effect of the subregion segmentation centroid enhancement method is the best.It has a good effect on both overall measurement and single pointmeasurement,which can be considered to be used in pavement function evaluation.展开更多
In airborne array synthetic aperture radar(SAR), the three-dimensional(3D) imaging performance and cross-track resolution depends on the length of the equivalent array. In this paper, Barker sequence criterion is used...In airborne array synthetic aperture radar(SAR), the three-dimensional(3D) imaging performance and cross-track resolution depends on the length of the equivalent array. In this paper, Barker sequence criterion is used for sparse flight sampling of airborne array SAR, in order to obtain high cross-track resolution in as few times of flights as possible. Under each flight, the imaging algorithm of back projection(BP) and the data extraction method based on modified uniformly redundant arrays(MURAs) are utilized to obtain complex 3D image pairs. To solve the side-lobe noise in images, the interferometry between each image pair is implemented, and compressed sensing(CS) reconstruction is adopted in the frequency domain. Furthermore, to restore the geometrical relationship between each flight, the phase information corresponding to negative MURA is compensated on each single-pass image reconstructed by CS. Finally,by coherent accumulation of each complex image, the high resolution in cross-track direction is obtained. Simulations and experiments in X-band verify the availability.展开更多
The past decade has seen a growing interest in ocean sensor networks because of their wide applications in marine research,oceanography,ocean monitoring,offshore exploration,and defense or homeland security.Ocean sens...The past decade has seen a growing interest in ocean sensor networks because of their wide applications in marine research,oceanography,ocean monitoring,offshore exploration,and defense or homeland security.Ocean sensor networks are generally formed with various ocean sensors,autonomous underwater vehicles,surface stations,and research vessels.To make ocean sensor network applications viable,efficient communication among all devices and components is crucial.Due to the unique characteristics of underwater acoustic channels and the complex deployment environment in three dimensional(3D) ocean spaces,new efficient and reliable communication and networking protocols are needed in design of ocean sensor networks.In this paper,we aim to provide an overview of the most recent advances in network design principles for 3D ocean sensor networks,with focuses on deployment,localization,topology design,and position-based routing in 3D ocean spaces.展开更多
In the last two decades,significant research has been conducted in the field of automated extraction of rock mass discontinuity characteristics from three-dimensional(3D)models.This provides several methodologies for ...In the last two decades,significant research has been conducted in the field of automated extraction of rock mass discontinuity characteristics from three-dimensional(3D)models.This provides several methodologies for acquiring discontinuity measurements from 3D models,such as point clouds generated using laser scanning or photogrammetry.However,even with numerous automated and semiautomated methods presented in the literature,there is not one single method that can automatically characterize discontinuities accurately in a minimum of time.In this paper,we critically review all the existing methods proposed in the literature for the extraction of discontinuity characteristics such as joint sets and orientations,persistence,joint spacing,roughness and block size using point clouds,digital elevation maps,or meshes.As a result of this review,we identify the strengths and drawbacks of each method used for extracting those characteristics.We found that the approaches based on voxels and region growing are superior in extracting joint planes from 3D point clouds.Normal tensor voting with trace growth algorithm is a robust method for measuring joint trace length from 3D meshes.Spacing is estimated by calculating the perpendicular distance between joint planes.Several independent roughness indices are presented to quantify roughness from 3D surface models,but there is a need to incorporate these indices into automated methodologies.There is a lack of efficient algorithms for direct computation of block size from 3D rock mass surface models.展开更多
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42071014).
文摘Gobi spans a large area of China,surpassing the combined expanse of mobile dunes and semi-fixed dunes.Its presence significantly influences the movement of sand and dust.However,the complex origins and diverse materials constituting the Gobi result in notable differences in saltation processes across various Gobi surfaces.It is challenging to describe these processes according to a uniform morphology.Therefore,it becomes imperative to articulate surface characteristics through parameters such as the three-dimensional(3D)size and shape of gravel.Collecting morphology information for Gobi gravels is essential for studying its genesis and sand saltation.To enhance the efficiency and information yield of gravel parameter measurements,this study conducted field experiments in the Gobi region across Dunhuang City,Guazhou County,and Yumen City(administrated by Jiuquan City),Gansu Province,China in March 2023.A research framework and methodology for measuring 3D parameters of gravel using point cloud were developed,alongside improved calculation formulas for 3D parameters including gravel grain size,volume,flatness,roundness,sphericity,and equivalent grain size.Leveraging multi-view geometry technology for 3D reconstruction allowed for establishing an optimal data acquisition scheme characterized by high point cloud reconstruction efficiency and clear quality.Additionally,the proposed methodology incorporated point cloud clustering,segmentation,and filtering techniques to isolate individual gravel point clouds.Advanced point cloud algorithms,including the Oriented Bounding Box(OBB),point cloud slicing method,and point cloud triangulation,were then deployed to calculate the 3D parameters of individual gravels.These systematic processes allow precise and detailed characterization of individual gravels.For gravel grain size and volume,the correlation coefficients between point cloud and manual measurements all exceeded 0.9000,confirming the feasibility of the proposed methodology for measuring 3D parameters of individual gravels.The proposed workflow yields accurate calculations of relevant parameters for Gobi gravels,providing essential data support for subsequent studies on Gobi environments.
文摘Understanding the pore water pressure distribution in unsaturated soil is crucial in predicting shallow landslides triggered by rainfall,mainly when dealing with different temporal patterns of rainfall intensity.However,the hydrological response of vegetated slopes,especially three-dimensional(3D)slopes covered with shrubs,under different rainfall patterns remains unclear and requires further investigation.To address this issue,this study adopts a novel 3D numerical model for simulating hydraulic interactions between the root system of the shrub and the surrounding soil.Three series of numerical parametric studies are conducted to investigate the influences of slope inclination,rainfall pattern and rainfall duration.Four rainfall patterns(advanced,bimodal,delayed,and uniform)and two rainfall durations(4-h intense and 168-h mild rainfall)are considered to study the hydrological response of the slope.The computed results show that 17%higher transpiration-induced suction is found for a steeper slope,which remains even after a short,intense rainfall with a 100-year return period.The extreme rainfalls with advanced(PA),bimodal(PB)and uniform(PU)rainfall patterns need to be considered for the short rainfall duration(4 h),while the delayed(PD)and uniform(PU)rainfall patterns are highly recommended for long rainfall durations(168 h).The presence of plants can improve slope stability markedly under extreme rainfall with a short duration(4 h).For the long duration(168 h),the benefit of the plant in preserving pore-water pressure(PWP)and slope stability may not be sufficient.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.52374124)National Youth Science Foundation of China (No.52204135)+3 种基金Xing Liao Talent Plan (No.XLYC2202004)Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST (No.2023QNRC001)Liaoning Province International Science and Technology Cooperation Plan (No.2022JH2/1070004)Liaoning Natural Science Foundation Program (No.2022-BS-327)。
文摘The 2D limit equilibrium method is widely used for slope stability analysis.However,with the advancement of dump engineering,composite slopes often exhibit significant 3D mechanical effects.Consequently,it is of significant importance to develop an effective 3D stability calculation method for composite slopes to enhance the design and stability control of open-pit slope engineering.Using the composite slope formed by the mining stope and inner dump in Baiyinhua No.1 and No.2 open-pit coal mine as a case study,this research investigates the failure mode of composite slopes and establishes spatial shape equations for the sliding mass.By integrating the shear resistance and sliding force of each row of microstrip columns onto the bottom surface of the strip corresponding to the main sliding surface,a novel 2D equivalent physical and mechanical parameters analysis method for the strips on the main sliding surface of 3D sliding masses is proposed.Subsequently,a comprehensive 3D stability calculation method for composite slopes is developed,and the quantitative relationship between the coordinated development distance and its 3D stability coefficients is examined.The analysis reveals that the failure mode of the composite slope is characterized by cutting-bedding sliding,with the arc serving as the side interface and the weak layer as the bottom interface,while the destabilization mechanism primarily involves shear failure.The spatial form equation of the sliding mass comprises an ellipsoid and weak plane equation.The analysis revealed that when the coordinated development distance is 1500 m,the error rate between the 3D stability calculation result and the 2D stability calculation result of the composite slope is less than 8%,thereby verifying the proposed analytical method of equivalent physical and mechanical parameters and the 3D stability calculation method for composite slopes.Furthermore,the3D stability coefficient of the composite slope exhibits an exponential correlation with the coordinated development distance,with the coefficient gradually decreasing as the coordinated development distance increases.These findings provide a theoretical guideline for designing similar slope shape parameters and conducting stability analysis.
文摘Background: As the population age structure gradually ages, more and more elderly people were found to have pulmonary nodules during physical examinations. Most elderly people had underlying diseases such as heart, lung, brain and blood vessels and cannot tolerate surgery. Computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous core needle biopsy (CNB) was the first choice for pathological diagnosis and subsequent targeted drugs, immune drugs or ablation treatment. CT-guided percutaneous CNB requires clinicians with rich CNB experience to ensure high CNB accuracy, but it was easy to cause complications such as pneumothorax and hemorrhage. Three-dimensional (3D) printing coplanar template (PCT) combined with CT-guided percutaneous pulmonary CNB biopsy has been used in clinical practice, but there was no prospective, randomized controlled study. Methods: Elderly patients with lung nodules admitted to the Department of Oncology of our hospital from January 2019 to January 2023 were selected. A total of 225 elderly patients were screened, and 30 patients were included after screening. They were randomly divided into experimental group (Group A: 30 cases) and control group (Group B: 30 cases). Group A was given 3D-PCT combined with CT-guided percutaneous pulmonary CNB biopsy, Group B underwent CT-guided percutaneous pulmonary CNB. The primary outcome measure of this study was the accuracy of diagnostic CNB, and the secondary outcome measures were CNB time, number of CNB needles, number of pathological tissues and complications. Results: The diagnostic accuracy of group A and group B was 96.67% and 76.67%, respectively (P = 0.026). There were statistical differences between group A and group B in average CNB time (P = 0.001), number of CNB (1 vs more than 1, P = 0.029), and pathological tissue obtained by CNB (3 vs 1, P = 0.040). There was no statistical difference in the incidence of pneumothorax and hemorrhage between the two groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions: 3D-PCT combined with CT-guided percutaneous CNB can improve the puncture accuracy of elderly patients, shorten the puncture time, reduce the number of punctures, and increase the amount of puncture pathological tissue, without increasing pneumothorax and hemorrhage complications. We look forward to verifying this in a phase III randomized controlled clinical study. .
基金support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.42207199)Zhejiang Provincial Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant Nos.ZJ2022155 and ZJ2022156).
文摘Weak structural plane deformation is responsible for the non-uniform large deformation disasters in layered rock tunnels,resulting in steel arch distortion and secondary lining cracking.In this study,a servo biaxial testing system was employed to conduct physical modeling tests on layered rock tunnels with bedding planes of varying dip angles.The influence of structural anisotropy in layered rocks on the micro displacement and strain field of surrounding rocks was analyzed using digital image correlation(DIC)technology.The spatiotemporal evolution of non-uniform deformation of surrounding rocks was investigated,and numerical simulation was performed to verify the experimental results.The findings indicate that the displacement and strain field of the surrounding layered rocks are all maximized at the horizontal bedding planes and decrease linearly with the increasing dip angle.The failure of the layered surrounding rock with different dip angles occurs and extends along the bedding planes.Compressive strain failure occurs after excavation under high horizontal stress.This study provides significant theoretical support for the analysis,prediction,and control of non-uniform deformation of tunnel surrounding rocks.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundations of China(Nos.12272176,U2037603).
文摘To achieve full-surface strain measurement of variable curvature objects,a 360°3D digital image correlation(DIC)system is proposed.The measurement system consists of four double-camera systems,which capture the object’s entire surface from multiple angles,enabling comprehensive full-surface measurement.To increase the stitching quality,a hierarchical coordinate matching method is proposed.Initially,a 3D rigid body calibration auxiliary block is employed to track motion trajectory,which enables preliminary matching of four 3D-DIC sub-systems.Subsequently,secondary precise matching is performed based on feature points on the test specimen’s surface.Through the hierarchical coordinate matching method,the local 3D coordinate systems of each double-camera system are unified into a global coordinate system,achieving 3D surface reconstruction of the variable curvature cylindrical shell,and error analysis is conducted on the results.Furthermore,axial compression buckling experiment is conducted to measure the displacement and strain fields on the cylindrical shell’s surface.The experimental results are compared with the finite element analysis,validating the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed multi-camera 3D-DIC measuring system.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (62001436)the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province under (BK 20190143,JSGG20190823094603691)。
文摘Three-dimensional(3D) synthetic aperture radar(SAR)extends the conventional 2D images into 3D features by several acquisitions in different aspects. Compared with 3D techniques via multiple observations in elevation, e.g. SAR interferometry(InSAR) and SAR tomography(TomoSAR), holographic SAR can retrieve 3D structure by observations in azimuth. This paper focuses on designing a novel type of orbit to achieve SAR regional all-azimuth observation(AAO) for embedded targets detection and holographic 3D reconstruction. The ground tracks of the AAO orbit separate the earth surface into grids. Target in these grids can be accessed with an azimuth angle span of360°, which is similar to the flight path of airborne circular SAR(CSAR). Inspired from the successive coverage orbits of optical sensors, several optimizations are made in the proposed method to ensure favorable grazing angles, the performance of 3D reconstruction, and long-term supervision for SAR sensors. Simulation experiments show the regional AAO can be completed within five hours. In addition, a second AAO of the same area can be duplicated in two days. Finally, an airborne SAR data process result is presented to illustrate the significance of AAO in 3D reconstruction.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.51974173)the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province,China(Grant No.ZR2020QD122).
文摘The shear failure of intact rock under thermo-mechanical(TM)coupling conditions is common,such as in enhanced geothermal mining and deep mine construction.Under the effect of a continuous engineering disturbance,shear-formed fractures are prone to secondary instability,posing a severe threat to deep engineering.Although numerous studies regarding three-dimensional(3D)morphologies of fracture surfaces have been conducted,the understanding of shear-formed fractures under TM coupling conditions is limited.In this study,direct shear tests of intact granite under various TM coupling conditions were conducted,followed by 3D laser scanning tests of shear-formed fractures.Test results demonstrated that the peak shear strength of intact granite is positively correlated with the normal stress,whereas it is negatively correlated with the temperature.The internal friction angle and cohesion of intact granite significantly decrease with an increase in the temperature.The anisotropy,roughness value,and height of the asperities on the fracture surfaces are reduced as the normal stress increases,whereas their variation trends are the opposite as the temperature increases.The macroscopic failure mode of intact granite under TM coupling conditions is dominated by mixed tensileeshear and shear failures.As the normal stress increases,intragranular fractures are developed ranging from a local to a global distribution,and the macroscopic failure mode of intact granite changes from mixed tensileeshear to shear failure.Finally,3D morphological characteristics of the asperities on the shear-formed fracture surfaces were analyzed,and a quadrangular pyramid conceptual model representing these asperities was proposed and sufficiently verified.
基金Project supported by the Executive Agency for Higher Education Research Development and Innovation Funding of Romania(No.PN-III-P4-PCE-2021-0993)。
文摘This study is concerned with the three-dimensional(3D)stagnation-point for the mixed convection flow past a vertical surface considering the first-order and secondorder velocity slips.To the authors’knowledge,this is the first study presenting this very interesting analysis.Nonlinear partial differential equations for the flow problem are transformed into nonlinear ordinary differential equations(ODEs)by using appropriate similarity transformation.These ODEs with the corresponding boundary conditions are numerically solved by utilizing the bvp4c solver in MATLAB programming language.The effects of the governing parameters on the non-dimensional velocity profiles,temperature profiles,skin friction coefficients,and the local Nusselt number are presented in detail through a series of graphs and tables.Interestingly,it is reported that the reduced skin friction coefficient decreases for the assisting flow situation and increases for the opposing flow situation.The numerical computations of the present work are compared with those from other research available in specific situations,and an excellent consensus is observed.Another exciting feature for this work is the existence of dual solutions.An important remark is that the dual solutions exist for both assisting and opposing flows.A linear stability analysis is performed showing that one solution is stable and the other solution is not stable.We notice that the mixed convection and velocity slip parameters have strong effects on the flow characteristics.These effects are depicted in graphs and discussed in this paper.The obtained results show that the first-order and second-order slip parameters have a considerable effect on the flow,as well as on the heat transfer characteristics.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(6157206361401308)+6 种基金the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(2016YJS039)the Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province(F2016201142F2016201187)the Natural Social Foundation of Hebei Province(HB15TQ015)the Science Research Project of Hebei Province(QN2016085ZC2016040)the Natural Science Foundation of Hebei University(2014-303)
文摘Fusion methods based on multi-scale transforms have become the mainstream of the pixel-level image fusion. However,most of these methods cannot fully exploit spatial domain information of source images, which lead to the degradation of image.This paper presents a fusion framework based on block-matching and 3D(BM3D) multi-scale transform. The algorithm first divides the image into different blocks and groups these 2D image blocks into 3D arrays by their similarity. Then it uses a 3D transform which consists of a 2D multi-scale and a 1D transform to transfer the arrays into transform coefficients, and then the obtained low-and high-coefficients are fused by different fusion rules. The final fused image is obtained from a series of fused 3D image block groups after the inverse transform by using an aggregation process. In the experimental part, we comparatively analyze some existing algorithms and the using of different transforms, e.g. non-subsampled Contourlet transform(NSCT), non-subsampled Shearlet transform(NSST), in the 3D transform step. Experimental results show that the proposed fusion framework can not only improve subjective visual effect, but also obtain better objective evaluation criteria than state-of-the-art methods.
基金supported by the Key Laboratory of Geological Survey and Evaluation of Ministry of Education (China University of Geosciences)(No. GLAB2020ZR13)
文摘The gravity inversion is to restore genetic density distribution of the underground target to be explored for explaining the internal structure and distribution of the Earth.In this paper,we propose a new 3D gravity inversion method based on 3D U-Net++.Compared with two-dimensional gravity inversion,three-dimensional(3D)gravity inversion can more precisely describe the density distribution of underground space.However,conventional 3D gravity inversion method input is two-dimensional,the input and output of the network proposed in our method are three-dimensional.In the training stage,we design a large number of diversifi ed simulation model-data pairs by using the random walk method to improve the generalization ability of the network.In the test phase,we verify the network performance by using the model-data pairs generated by the simulation.To further illustrate the eff ectiveness of the algorithm,we apply the method to the inversion of the San Nicolas mining area,and the inversion results are basically consistent with the borehole measurement results.Moreover,the results of the 3D U-Net++inversion and the 3D U-Net inversion are compared.The density models of the 3D U-Net++inversion have higher resolution,more concentrated inversion results,and a clearer boundary of the density model.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31272518)the program for the New Century Excellent Talents of Ministry of Education of China(NCET-09-0654)+1 种基金the Doctoral Fund of Ministry of Education of P.R.China(RFDP,20120204110030)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,China(QN2011012)
文摘Adhesions between different cells and extracellular matrix have been studied extensively in vitro, but little is known about their functions in testicular tissue counterparts. Spermatogonia and their companion somatic cells maintain a close association throughout spermatogenesis and this association is necessary for normal spermatogenesis. In order to keep the relative integrity of the testicular tissues, and to detect the development in vitro, culture testicular tissues in a three- dimensional (3D) agarose matrix was examined. Testicular tissues isolated from 6.5 d postpartum (dpp) mouse were cultured on the top of the matrix for 26 d with a medium height up to 4/5 of the 3D agarose matrix. The results showed that in this 3D culture environment, each type of testicular cells kept the same structure, localization and function as in vivo and might be more biologically relevant to living organisms. After culture, germ cell marker VASA and meiosis markers DAZL and SCP3 showed typical positive analysed by immunofluorescence staining and RT-PCR. It demonstrated that this 3D culture system was able to maintain the number of germ cells and promote the meiosis initiation of male germ cells.
文摘Upon the conservation of mass, momentum and energy, volume fraction and surface penetrative rate were employed to modify the conservative equations to simulate the effect of blockages on fluid flows and heat transfer. These equations were solved numerically with the finite differential method and the primitive variable approach. This method uses staggered grid and pressure correction schemes. A computer code FASTOR3D integrated the aforementioned algorithm. The preliminary results have been compared with conventional benchmark solutions. With auxiliary software DV, the numerical results were visualized in colorful images to demonstrate the variation of flow patterns and temperature profiles during the transient process. The results of the simulation code for the fluid flows and heat transfer in the sodium pool of a fast breeder reactor are acceptable.
文摘This paper will discuss strategies for trinocular image rectification and matching for linear object tracking.It is well known that a pair of stereo images generates two epipolar images.Three overlapped images can yield six epipolar images in situations where any two are required to be rectified for the purpose of image matching.In this case,the search for feature correspondences is computationally intensive and matching complexity increases.A special epipolar image rectification for three stereo images,which simplifies the image matching process,is therefore proposed.This method generates only three rectified images,with the result that the search for matching features becomes more straightforward.With the three rectified images,a particular line_segment_based correspondence strategy is suggested.The primary characteristics of the feature correspondence strategy include application of specific epipolar geometric constraints and reference to three_ray triangulation residuals in object space.
基金Supported by National Nature Science Foundation of China(61379106,61379082,61227802)Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation(ZR2013FM036,ZR2015FM011,ZR2015FM022)
文摘In 3D models retrieval, feature description and retrieval of non-rigid model face more complex problems due to the isometry transformation of itself. We introduce the hierarchical combination matching into the feature comparison, and build a map between the divided regions of two models, and then achieve accurate feature matching based on patch-by-patch, which successfully introduces the spatial information into feature matching. Verified by experiment, the 3D model retrieval method proposed in this paper based on hierarchical combination matching can make sure more accurate feature matching, so as to enhance the precision of retrieval.
基金the financial support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.52179118)the Graduate Innovation Program of China University of Mining and Technology(Grant No.2022WLKXJ032)the Postgraduate Research and Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province,China(Grant No.KYCX22_2581).
文摘The mechanical characteristics of crystalline rocks are affected by the heterogeneity of the spatial distribution of minerals.In this paper,a novel three-dimensional(3D)grain-based model(GBM)based on particle flow code(PFC),i.e.PFC3D-GBM,is proposed.This model can accomplish the grouping of mineral grains at the 3D scale and then filling them.Then,the effect of the position distribution,geometric size,and volume composite of mineral grains on the cracking behaviour and macroscopic properties of granite are examined by conducting Brazilian splitting tests.The numerical results show that when an external load is applied to a sample,force chains will form around each contact,and the orientation distribution of the force chains is uniform,which is independent of the external load level.Furthermore,the number of high-strength force chains is proportional to the external load level,and the main orientation distribution is consistent with the external loading direction.The main orientation of the cracks is vertical to that of the high-strength force chains.The geometric size of the mineral grains controls the mechanical behaviours.As the average grain size increases,the number of transgranular contacts with higher bonding strength in the region connecting both loading points increases.The number of high-strength force chains increases,leading to an increase in the stress concentration value required for the macroscopic failure of the sample.Due to the highest bonding strength,the generation of transgranular cracks in quartz requires a higher concentrated stress value.With increasing volume composition of quartz,the number of transgranular cracks in quartz distributed in the region connecting both loading points increases,which requires many high-strength force chains.The load level rises,leading to an increase in the tensile strength of the numerical sample.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (52178422)Doctoral Research Foundation of Hubei University of Arts and Science (2059047)National College Students’Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program (202210519021).
文摘The dense and accurate measurement of 3D texture is helpful in evaluating the pavement function.To form dense mandatory constraints and improve matching accuracy,the traditional binocular reconstruction technology was improved threefold.First,a single moving laser line was introduced to carry out global scanning constraints on the target,which would well overcome the difficulty of installing and recognizing excessive laser lines.Second,four kinds of improved algorithms,namely,disparity replacement,superposition synthesis,subregion segmentation,and subregion segmentation centroid enhancement,were established based on different constraint mechanism.Last,the improved binocular reconstruction test device was developed to realize the dual functions of 3D texture measurement and precision self-evaluation.Results show that compared with traditional algorithms,the introduction of a single laser line scanning constraint is helpful in improving the measurement’s accuracy.Among various improved algorithms,the improvement effect of the subregion segmentation centroid enhancement method is the best.It has a good effect on both overall measurement and single pointmeasurement,which can be considered to be used in pavement function evaluation.
文摘In airborne array synthetic aperture radar(SAR), the three-dimensional(3D) imaging performance and cross-track resolution depends on the length of the equivalent array. In this paper, Barker sequence criterion is used for sparse flight sampling of airborne array SAR, in order to obtain high cross-track resolution in as few times of flights as possible. Under each flight, the imaging algorithm of back projection(BP) and the data extraction method based on modified uniformly redundant arrays(MURAs) are utilized to obtain complex 3D image pairs. To solve the side-lobe noise in images, the interferometry between each image pair is implemented, and compressed sensing(CS) reconstruction is adopted in the frequency domain. Furthermore, to restore the geometrical relationship between each flight, the phase information corresponding to negative MURA is compensated on each single-pass image reconstructed by CS. Finally,by coherent accumulation of each complex image, the high resolution in cross-track direction is obtained. Simulations and experiments in X-band verify the availability.
基金Y. Wang was supported in part by the US National Science Foundation (NSF) under Grant Nos.CNS-0721666,CNS-0915331,and CNS-1050398Y. Liu was partially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) under Grant No. 61074092+1 种基金by the Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation,China under Grant No.Q2008E01Z. Guo was partially supported by the NSFC under Grant Nos. 61170258 and 6093301
文摘The past decade has seen a growing interest in ocean sensor networks because of their wide applications in marine research,oceanography,ocean monitoring,offshore exploration,and defense or homeland security.Ocean sensor networks are generally formed with various ocean sensors,autonomous underwater vehicles,surface stations,and research vessels.To make ocean sensor network applications viable,efficient communication among all devices and components is crucial.Due to the unique characteristics of underwater acoustic channels and the complex deployment environment in three dimensional(3D) ocean spaces,new efficient and reliable communication and networking protocols are needed in design of ocean sensor networks.In this paper,we aim to provide an overview of the most recent advances in network design principles for 3D ocean sensor networks,with focuses on deployment,localization,topology design,and position-based routing in 3D ocean spaces.
基金funded by the U.S.National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH)under the Contract No.75D30119C06044。
文摘In the last two decades,significant research has been conducted in the field of automated extraction of rock mass discontinuity characteristics from three-dimensional(3D)models.This provides several methodologies for acquiring discontinuity measurements from 3D models,such as point clouds generated using laser scanning or photogrammetry.However,even with numerous automated and semiautomated methods presented in the literature,there is not one single method that can automatically characterize discontinuities accurately in a minimum of time.In this paper,we critically review all the existing methods proposed in the literature for the extraction of discontinuity characteristics such as joint sets and orientations,persistence,joint spacing,roughness and block size using point clouds,digital elevation maps,or meshes.As a result of this review,we identify the strengths and drawbacks of each method used for extracting those characteristics.We found that the approaches based on voxels and region growing are superior in extracting joint planes from 3D point clouds.Normal tensor voting with trace growth algorithm is a robust method for measuring joint trace length from 3D meshes.Spacing is estimated by calculating the perpendicular distance between joint planes.Several independent roughness indices are presented to quantify roughness from 3D surface models,but there is a need to incorporate these indices into automated methodologies.There is a lack of efficient algorithms for direct computation of block size from 3D rock mass surface models.